Revision as of 19:57, 28 October 2010

The legendary sword. There are several variations of the legend. One story has it that Excalibur was the sword in the stone that crowned Arthur king.

When Arthur was fifteen, a stone of which a sword was affixed, appeared at the front of a church. Words were engraved on the hilt. It read:

"I am hight Escalibore
Onto a king fair tresore."

Many tried to draw the sword from the stone, but failed. Fate, it seemed, brought a young boy to the sword and he drew it with ease. With this miraculous feat, he was crowned.

Another variation has it that Excalibur was not the sword Arthur drew from the stone — that sword was said to have been broken in battle. Rather, it was a gift from the Lady of the Lake, whom King Arthur was taken to meet by the wizard Merlin. It was said that the scabbard of Excalibur brought the bearer protection, that the bearer could never be wounded as long as it remained with him.